Stargate Atlantis: The Next Generation
by alynleo415
Summary: Atlantis is different place some years later: John and Teyla are married and have three children. What sort of adventures will they get into when a new person arrives from the SGC? John/Teyla, McKay/Keller, Ronon/Amelia Banks. Rated T for safety
1. Prologue

**Hey everybody! This is my first story and I'm super excited. So be nice-ish. Yeah I really love SGA so I decided to write my own fic about it. Yup. Please review!!!!**

**I'm editing this to fit along with my chapters one and two, so bear with me. Just a few small changes... (by the way-she is staying ALONE in her grandparents house because her parents are dead and her grandmother is in the hospital near death-if that makes any sense at all)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own SGA. If I did... well that's another story :)**

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_PROLOGUE_

_It was raining. Cold, hard rain, pounding down from the bleary sky above. The ancient clock in her grandparent's empty chimed twelve downstairs and she raised herself from the bed, tiptoeing to the windowsill. An awkward silence filled the dark house at night. She was brave, though, even with her grandmother in the hospital near death, forcing her to stay at the home alone. Curling up on the window seat, she pressed herself against the cold pane. _

_She often woke in the middle of the night, roused from her nightmares by the cold sweat pouring down her face. Dreams of her parents' death, shot down somewhere in a Middle Eastern desert while defending their country. She shivered lightly and pushed the thoughts of her dreams from her head. _

_A suspicious van was parked in the street below, one she'd never seen in her life. Someone shifted in the driver's seat, peering through the windshield to meet her curious eyes. At almost the same instant, she heard the bedroom door open behind her and spun around. She caught a glimpse of a tall, masked figure holding a weapon. His finger pulled the trigger, and all she knew was darkness._


	2. Chapter One

**Hey I've been doing some editing on my story again - I do that a lot :) But it wasn't anything big. I hope you like it! :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own SGA. :( isn't that so terribly sad and horrible?**

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CHAPTER ONE: The Next Generation

"I don't like this. It's not right."

Colonel John Sheppard paced in Atlantis' control room, glaring at the bright blue surface of the Stargate. His wife, Teyla Emmagan, Richard Woolsey and Dr. Rodney McKay were with him.

"I'm sorry, Colonel, but I don't think it's up to you all," another voice filled the room. General Landry, head of Stargate Command, connected to Atlantis' radio through the Stargate.

"What do you mean, 'it's not up to us'?" John replied angrily. "Whose idea was this anyway?"

"Colonel, she's one of the most intelligent beings to ever walk the planet! We'd be missing an amazing opportunity if we didn't see this through!" Through some detailed research, the SGC had discovered a sixteen year old girl with an IQ off the charts and parents who had worked in Atlantis and died in the line of duty. With government permission, SGC had gone to her grandmother's home, where the girl lived, and stolen her away in the middle of the night.

"It's true Colonel," Mr. Woolsey said from behind him, "I met her when she was five; her parents came back to Earth from Atlantis for an IOA meeting. They brought her along because her grandmother was in the hospital, though I believe she lives with her grandmother when her parents are away. She was well beyond her years even then."

"Has she even given you any form of personal consent?" Teyla asked, her tone much calmer than her husband's.

"Technically, no. She's still a minor," Landry replied, "An orphan, too. But of course we'll ask her, as soon as she's settled in."

"There are plenty of other intelligent scientists out there, General! We should at least wait until she's decided what to do with her life! Maybe she rejects her gifts! Maybe she doesn't want them! Haven't you considered that?" John retorted.

"Indeed, we have. But she has another quality. Just before they left her, her parent's put her though rigorous military training. The records show that she was very gifted, especially as a pilot."

John was silent. He gazed into the swimming surface of the gate, thinking deeply. "What about the family she lives with now?"

"Her grandmother passed away last week. The girl was staying alone in her grandparent's house in Kansas while her grandmother was in the local hospital. She was the only family the girl had left."

"She could be very valuable, John," Mr. Woolsey said.

Sighing, John straightened up and glanced at Teyla. "Alright. Ask her permission first, of course. If she agrees, train her and then send her through. If not, keep trying to persuade her…  
he paused, and sighed, "I have a feeling she'll say yes. After all, she has nowhere to go."

"I'm glad we could come to an agreement on this, Colonel Sheppard, Mr. Woolsey. Stargate Command out."

"Atlantis out…" John murmured.

"Well, if it matters, I think we've made the right decision," Rodney said, trying to sound encouraging. "If she's anything like her parents, this is the perfect place for her."

John raised his head and gazed at the now dormant Stargate. "I hope so," he replied.

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Raelyn Lorne blinked slowly and cautiously opened her eyes. She was lying in a soft bed and her limbs were stiff; she knew she'd been in the same position for a long time. A faint numbness lingered in her fingertips, and her head swam as though she were on heavy drugs.

She gazed around as her eyes adjusted to the light. It was clear she was in some sort of medical room. Rae's stomach immediately knotted as she remembered the last place she'd been. Her bedroom, cold and dark as the rain pounded against the window. She recalled turning around… and then… darkness. Raelyn shuddered.

Suddenly the door on the far side of the room swung open, and a young, white-clad figure stepped through it. She was busy writing on a clipboard. Raelyn tried to speak, to make the nurse aware of her presence, but all that came out was a tired-sounding croak.

The nurse was so startled that she threw her clipboard in the air and sucked air in sharply.

Clearing her throat, Rae finally managed to speak. "I'm sorry," she said, trying to sit up. Naturally, her aching body wouldn't allow it. "Ugghh!" she groaned, growing frustrated.

"It-it's a pleasure to finally see you awake," the nurse breathed quietly. She recovered from the shock quickly and moved to stand next to the monitor Raelyn was attached to.

"Your vital signs are all good," she said, reading the screen, though her patient wasn't listening. Rae was desperate for answers, and the nurse didn't seem to be in any hurry to give them to her.

"Where am I?" Rae asked. "This doesn't feel much like heaven," The nurse looked at her patient with eyes wide. Raelyn groaned internally. The nurse obviously hadn't gotten the joke.

"It isn't heaven," she replied, looking concerned. "Are you feeling alright?"

"If by that you mean completely aware of my surroundings and the extreme pain that my limbs are in, than yes, I'm feeling very good."

She finally seemed to get it. Smiling slightly in a worried sort of way, she returned to the computer monitor.

"So what exactly is going on here?" Raelyn asked, annoyed and confused. A tingle of fear rose up her spine when she remembered being captured.

"My name is Elise Castin," she explained. "I work here as a nurse and I was assigned to look after you until you're feeling better. However, I'm afraid that I don't have the ability or the security clearance to tell you where you are or why you're here."

"Well, then, I guess you've done your job. I'm feeling alert and awake. In pain, yes, but alert. Now take me to someone who can tell me where I am and why I'm here. Now, please."

"I'm sorry," she replied firmly, standing her ground. "I can't do that. Not yet."

Rae sighed. "Please?" she asked, managing to hold back the anger that had suddenly risen up inside her.

The nurse glared at her in reply, looking rather like an angry mouse. "Raelyn, no. I told you, I can't do that."

Rae didn't have time to wonder how the nurse knew her name. She rolled her eyes in anger and turned on the tiny nurse. "Listen," she said, her tone furious, "I just woke up in a place that I don't know anything about. The last thing I remember was being _shot down_ in my bedroom! I'd like some answers, _now,_ if you don't mind!"

The nurse sighed in frustration. Just as she was about to speak, Rae raised her hand and interrupted. "And, if you can't tell me, then I demand you take me to someone who can!"

The nurse was perfectly silent, glaring back at her patient.

"Fine then, I'll just have to find someone myself." Raelyn stated.

She slid out of bed and extended her left arm to the nurse. Elise Castin immediately got the message. Retorting under her breath, she surrendered and carefully removed the IV.

"Alright," Elise said. "I'll take you to someone who can give you answers. But… you may want to change clothes before we depart."

Rae glanced down. She was wearing a bright pink hospital gown covered in large blue elephants. She blushed in embarrassment and pugnaciously grabbed the jeans and t-shirt the nurse was holding out to her, changing quickly while Elise waited outside.

When she was finished, the nurse led her through a long maze of complicated hallways. The building, if that's what they were in, was made entirely of concrete and had an eerie atmosphere. Finally, they reached a large, important looking door. Elise knocked on the door and slowly pushed it open. Raelyn peered around her and saw a long table which a small group of people were seated around, discussing something in great detail.

"General Landry, sir?" Nurse Castin said, sounding almost anxious. "Our patient is awake."

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"Checkmate!" Aiden Sheppard grinned triumphantly at his stepbrother, Torren Emmagan.

"Ugh!" Torren grimaced "You beat me. For the fourth time."

"Fifth, actually," Aiden replied, shoving the chess pieces into a bag while Torren folded the board.

"Hmmm…" Torren murmured. He smiled deviously. "I do believe it is time for our sparring lesson."

"Can't I have the glory of beating you at something for once?" Aiden asked in frustration.

"Mother will be expecting us," Torren replied pointedly.

Both boys sighed simultaneously. Teyla, their mother, had been training them to fight and spar since they were old enough to stand.

"I will meet you down there," Torren said. "I must get my things." He stood and swept out of the room.

Aiden smiled, looking after him. He stood too and walked to the window, staring out at the breathtaking view. The many towers and turrets of his home rose around him, giving way to the never-ending ocean that spread around them.

Aiden could not remember a time when his brother had not been there for him. As the oldest two children on the base, Torren at nineteen and Aiden at seventeen, they had grown up together. There were twelve other kids living in the city: Aiden and Torren's younger siblings, twins Kiahna and Jesse and Lizzy; the McKay's three kids Kaylee, Logan, and Sophia; the Zelenka's quadruplets, Nick, Tom, Elijah, and Katrina; and the Dex's daughter Jayce. Torren was the person he felt closest to.

"Knock, knock," a soft voice from behind him roused him from his thoughts. He spun around to see his father, leaning casually against the frame of the open doorway to his quarters.

"Oh, hi dad," Aiden greeted.

"Hey, listen," John Sheppard said, "We've got a situation. There's a new arrival coming in this afternoon."

"What does it have to do with me?" Aiden replied, "New arrivals come all the time and I never even know about it."

"This is different," his father replied. "I'd like you to be there when the new addition gets here, if you're available. SGC is dialing in at 1400 hours."

"Do I have to?" Aiden tired not to whine, but meeting a new arrival was the last thing he wanted to do that afternoon.

John smiled softly. His son was very much like him; never wanting to be involved with simple housekeeping affairs. "Your mother and I would like you to."

Aiden glanced at the closed window. "Fine…" he sighed. "I'll be there."

"Good," John grinned devilishly. "I think you're gonna like her…." he said, and walked out of the room.

"…her?" Aiden pondered his dad's words for only a moment. John was constantly teasing him and provoking him, so he tried not to let his father's words get to him. He shrugged, grabbed his sparring sticks, and headed to the training room.


	3. Chapter 2: Preparations

**Hey guys I've edited this just a little - only to change the families a little bit. Nothing big. Read and Review please! Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own SGA**

THE SGC-BRIEFING ROOM

"I guess what I'm saying is that I still don't understand."

Raelyn was sitting at one end of the briefing room's long table, while Colonel Samantha Carter and General Landry were at the other. They had been busily briefing Raelyn about the Stargate program and Atlantis for the past few hours.

"What don't you understand?" Sam replied patiently.

"Why are you choosing me?" Rae asked. "I'm sixteen years old, I'm not nearly as intelligent as you believe, I don't have any real world experience… the list goes on and on!"

"Now, see, that's where you're wrong." Landry said. "From our understanding, you were offered the chance to jump three grades when you were twelve, but you turned it down because your parents had just died. You took military training for four years and passed through the ranks at twice the normal rate. If you are worthy of all of that, age doesn't matter here."

Raelyn was silent. She'd gotten so used to keeping thoughts of her parents out of her head, and suddenly these people were bringing them crashing back over her like a giant wave.

"My parents," she whispered, dangerously quiet, "died in the middle of an Afghanistan desert , away from their home, their life… away from me," she shook her head and cleared her thoughts. "My reason for not accepting the chance to skip grades had nothing to do with my parents or their death. My military training was incredibly brief, and, like I said, I've never had any experience with something like this." At her words, the General and the Colonel exchanged a knowing look. They were hiding something from her, something about her parents. Raelyn wasn't sure she wanted to know what this was.

"Raelyn, I think General Landry is simply trying to prove that you are more intelligent than you think. You have military training, the ability to conduct scientific research, understand how complicated machines work and fix them within a short amount of time…" Sam paused to let it sink in. "All we're saying is that you are an invaluable asset to the Stargate Program. You're abilities are being wasted here on Earth. Atlantis would give you a place to use your gifts for the common good- not only for Earth, but for the rest of the universe. And you wouldn't be the only young person in the city. Six other teens currently reside there."

There was a long silence as Raelyn contemplated the situation. Only a few short hours ago, she had never dreamed there could be something such as Atlantis or the Stargate Program. Thoughts spun through her head as she struggled to understand it all. When she'd been a young girl, her mother had often told her that she was a special person; that she would do great things one day. Perhaps fate had brought her to this. She decided to give in; there simply was nowhere else she could go. Her mother's words echoed in her head as she returned her focus to the General and the Colonel.

"I guess I understand now," Rae replied softly. "I don't really have much of a choice anyways." She looked down at her hands and blinked back tears. "My family is dead; I have nowhere to go… Maybe you're right. Maybe Atlantis is the right place for me…"

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ATLANTIS-MESS HALL 

"Intelligent. Right," Dr. Rodney McKay scoffed as he shoveled a handful of fries into his mouth. He and his wife were sharing a late lunch in the mess hall.

Dr. Jennifer Keller-McKay had quickly learned to keep her eyes carefully averted as her husband ate. She was staring at her own tray of food, purposefully looking away from him. "Rodney, you can't possibly know Raelyn's intelligence level until you actually meet her," she reminded him. Her strawberry blonde hair hung against her shoulders, and her brown eyes stared wisely at her tray of food. John Sheppard sat across the table from them, watching with amusement.

"She's fourteen, for goodness sake! Now exactly what I would call intelligent!" Rodney replied; bring the bowl of soup to his lips and draining the broth.

"Sixteen, actually," John said, spooning his own soup into his mouth, still watching them closely. It was one of his favorite pastimes; to watch Rodney and Jennifer go at it. Rodney had been on Atlantis for nearly 20 years, and Jennifer was still the only person who could actually get him to think reasonably.

"Whatever," he replied, waving John's comment out of the way.

"Her age doesn't make a difference," Jennifer said patiently. "Kaylee is only fourteen."

"Well, Kaylee's _my_ daughter-" Rodney said. Jennifer turned and gave him a look. "-our daughter, I mean. Of course she's intelligent."

"Of course she is," Jennifer agreed, "But it's possible for Raelyn to be as well. Her parents were also very intelligent, remember?"

Rodney paused, another fry halfway to his mouth. Raelyn's parents had both been part of the original Atlantis expedition; Major Evan Lorne and his wife, Scientist Dr. Rebecca Swanstorm-Lorne. Both had been killed four years previously on a dangerous off world mission when they'd been captured by Wraith and sacrificed themselves to save the rest of the team. When their daughter had been born, they'd made the decision to have her live on Earth with her grandparents, never knowing that Atlantis existed, hoping this would make her life easier and less dangerous. They had both been amazing people, brave and very intelligent. Rodney couldn't deny that Raelyn would be just as wonderful. He rolled his eyes in defeat.

"Fine," he growled. "You're right, I guess."

Jennifer smiled at him. "I always am. But it's not really a contest," she laughed gently. Rodney's eyes softened as he turned to her.

"I know. I love you," he murmured, leaning in for the kiss. She met is eyes and moved closer to him.

John coughed awkwardly and stood, just as their lips met. "Uh, well, have fun," he said, turning away and quickly heading to the trash can to empty his tray. In the long hallway that ran outside the mess hall, he ran into Ronon, who was carrying a large box full of sheets and living supplies.

"Need help?" John asked, greeting his friend with a pat on the back.

"I think I got it," Ronon replied roughly. "Woolsey wanted me and Amelia to get the new arrival's room ready, so I'm getting the sheets."

"I'll help," John said. "I've got nothing else to do." He followed Ronon into a transporter and touched the living quarters area. They stepped out and walked down the hallway together towards Raelyn's new room.

"Does she know who her parents are?" Ronon asked, "Raelyn, I mean."

"No," John replied, glancing downward. "I'm afraid she doesn't know much about Atlantis in general. SGC just thought she would be a good addition to the team. She believes that her parents were military and were killed in a war on Earth four years ago." He sighed. "Evan and Rebecca thought they were protecting her by keeping it a secret. They didn't want her to grow up with the knowledge of Atlantis or the constant danger that living here would put her in."

Ronon shrugged. "Guess it made sense to them. But personally, I think living with constant danger makes you stronger."

"It was hard for Evan." John replied. "He felt connected to Atlantis, and he just couldn't leave. At the same time, he and Rebecca wanted to be with their daughter on Earth." He ran a hand through his messy hair, remembering the last conversation he'd had with Major Lorne before he'd been killed by the Wraith. They'd been at a Wraith lab that spanned for miles underground, where the Wraith were conducting invaluable research on building Zero Point Modules. Both John and Lorne's team had been sent it to rescue an Atlantis team of scientists who'd been captured and were being held prisoner in the lab. Rebecca Lorne, Evan's wife, had been a part of that team.

"_This is a suicide mission, Major, you know that?" John's tone was almost desperate._

"_I don't see any other way." Lorne replied firmly. "I'll go in, set the C4, you get the scientists outta there, and I'll detonate it. I'll have to get deep within the lab. Even with a timer, there's no way I'll make it out."_

_John was silent._

"_Colonel, we have to destroy this facility. The Wraith are incredibly close to making their own ZPM. Within days, they'll have one. That's what Dr. McKay said. We can't wait for the Daedalus to get here. This is the only way."_

"_Alright," John said. "Major, you have a go." His voice was heavy, burdened._

"_Colonel?" Lorne asked softly. "Take care of Rebecca for me. And Raelyn. It's always been our dream that she could one day be a part of Atlantis." _

_With that, he disappeared into the tunnels of the lab._

Rebecca had stayed behind as well, downloading as much of the Wraith's research on ZPM's that she could and relaying it to Rodney's computer before the lab went down. Since then, building a ZPM had quickly become Rodney's main project.

John thoughts were interrupted as he realized they had arrived at the new room. He followed Ronon inside, where Amelia Banks was busily hanging curtains on the window. Her brown hair was lying against her back; she had taken to wearing it down ever since she and Ronon had been married a few years before. She was wearing jeans and a rather large t-shirt, though it was still easy to see her bulging stomach underneath. Nearly seven months pregnant, Ronon and Amelia were expecting their second child. Jaycelyn, their daughter, was six years old.

"Oh, hello, Colonel," she said, seeing him. "Ronon and I were just getting Raelyn's new room ready."

"I told Ronon I would help," he replied. "Should you be… you know… working in your condition?"

She laughed. "Probably not. The help is appreciated, though." She sat down in an armchair, laying a hand on her stomach and catching her breath.

Ronon smiled at her laughter and started to make the bed. John began pulling pillow cases onto pillows. Ronon's attitude had softened somewhat since marrying Amelia. It was much easier to amuse him, and he smiled more often now that he'd finally gotten over Melena.

"Oh, Ronon, come here!" Amelia said suddenly. Her husband rushed to her, looking worried. "He's kicking," she smiled. She grabbed Ronon's hand and gently placed it on her stomach. Ronon grinned widely, gazing at his wife.

John's heart warmed as he recalled the first time he had felt his own son kicking within Teyla's stomach. He leaned against the wall and placed his hand casually on his hip. "So it's a boy?" he asked.

"Yup, had the ultra sound just this morning," Amelia replied.

"Just what we need, more kids running around," John said, sighing heavily in pretend annoyance.

The three of them laughed. John glanced at his watch, seeing that it was nearly one thirty. "Well, I'm off. I have to go and find Teyla and Aiden before Raelyn shows up."

"Thanks for the help," Ronon replied. John turned and exited, heading for the transporter.

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ATLANTIS-TRAINING ROOM

Teyla raised her bantos rods slowly, taking a defensive position. Aiden did the same, meeting his mother's concentrated gaze. Torren stood nearby, watching silently, his muscular arms folded lightly against his chest. The lesson had already been going on for several hours, and all three of them were glistening with a light layer of perspiration.

In a whir of movement, Aiden lashed out powerfully towards Teyla's feet. She counteracted easily, bringing her left stick up and around towards her son's head. He ducked and then rolled away as she stabbed swiftly with her right stick. Righting himself, Aiden swung out, charging at his mother and backing her slowly into the wall as she countered his every move. Suddenly she lunged and took on the offensive position, and now Aiden was forced to block her slashes.

The battle continued for several minutes, even though both competitors had run out of breath and had rivers of sweat pouring down their faces. Torren was still frozen in the same position, studying every move as though he were memorizing the entire fight. Suddenly, the training room door opened with a swish, and Torren turned to see his half-sister standing there.

"Hey, Torren," the fifteen year old said brightly to him. "Mom? Aiden?"

Aiden glanced towards her, and in his momentary loss of concertration, Teyla twirled and smacked his sticks to the ground. She straightened up and turned to her daughter.

"Good morning, Kiahna."

"Hey, Kia," Aiden gasped, breathing heavily.

"Dad sent me to find you guys," Kia said. "Something about you being off your radios. It's almost 2 PM, and the SGC is dialing in soon. The new arrival is coming."

Aiden swore under his breath in frustration. The sparring lesson had completely removed thoughts of the new arrival from his mind, just like he hoped it would. He desperately wanted to return to his quarters and stand under the hot shower for a half-hour or so, to relax after his lesson. He cringed at the thought of meeting the new arrival in his sweaty training clothes. From the looks of the situation, it didn't seem like he had much of a choice.

Teyla pulled a sweat jacket over her sleeveless top and stuffed her sparring supplies into a duffel. She slid her feet into a pair of flip flops, a gift from John several years before. "I am ready. Aiden, Torren?"

Aiden sighed. "Alright, I'm coming." He followed Torren, Teyla, and his sister down the long hallway outside the training room to the transporter.

In front of him, Kiahna's long, reddish-brown hair swished back and forth. Compared to younger sister, who was fifteen years old, Aiden was much more like his father then his mother. Not only had he gotten his father's good looks and ruffled dark hair, but he was also impatient with diplomatic and housekeeping affairs, and was terrible at negotiating anything. Aiden had a knack for speaking out of terms and his 'incessant tongue', as Teyla called it, had continuously gotten him in trouble for as long as he could remember. He was a military man, a strong leader, willing to fight and protect others. Aiden was extremely brave as well, and as a result, he often made rash decisions.

Kiahna, on the other hand, had her mother's talent for keeping a cool head and was mature beyond her years. She was at the same level as Aiden in sparing, and often visited trading villages around the galaxy with Teyla. She was tall and strong for her age, and she too had been gifted with her parent's trait of bravery.

Kia's twin, Jesse, was undeniably brilliant, even at fifteen years old. He'd taken an interest to scientific and mathematical work at a very young age, and was attempting to build his own time machine. Jess had an underlying bravery that only came forth when it was called for. He too, had many of his father's looks, though his hair was the exact color of Teyla's and he had deep brown eyes, rather than green like his father and siblings.

Torren had all of Teyla's looks, from her reddish-brown hair to her dark skin and her sharply accented features. He had a strange, quiet strength that Teyla said came from his father, Kanaan. His bravery had constantly been tested through mission and crisis, and he had always come through despite his laid back nature.

The youngest Sheppard, Elizabeth, nicknamed Lizzy, was seven years old, and dreamed of being just like her siblings. Lizzy was good friends with the McKay's middle child, Logan.

Aiden stepped into the transporter next to his family and felt himself being whisked off to the control room. The doors opened just in time for them to hear the Stargate activating.

"Off world activation!" Chuck called into the PA system. He turned to Mr. Woolsey, who was standing over another control panel, arms folded behind his back. "It's Stargate Command."

"Lower the shield," Mr. Woolsey replied, and Chuck reached across the panel to do so.

John was standing at the control balcony, facing the gate room. Kia walked up to her dad and tapped him lightly. "I got them, dad. They were sparring." She said, grinning up at him. John turned around to see Torren, Aiden and his wife, still in their sparring clothes. Mr. Woolsey turned as well, eyeing their sweaty apparel distastefully.

"Thanks honey," John said. "I'm pretty sure they would have gone on sparring forever had someone not gone to get them."

"We lost track of time," Teyla explained. But she was smiling at him. John gazed at her fondly, and leaned down to kiss her quickly.

Aiden rolled his eyes at his father, acting embarrassed. Inside, however, his heart warmed at the sight of the love in his family. His father just winked at him.

"We're receiving a transmission," Chuck said from above them, "from General Landry."

"Open a channel," Mr. Woolsey replied; turning and walking briskly down the stairs to the gate room. Teyla, John, Aiden, Torren, and Kia followed him.

"Atlantis, this is General Landry, of the SGC."

"General Landry, this is Mr. Woolsey," Mr. Woolsey spoke calmly into his radio.

"Mr. Woolsey," the General replied. "It's a pleasure. How is your research on the Council of the Ancients coming?"

"Very good, General, thank-"

It was John's turn to role his eyes. There was little time for small talk. He wanted this to be over as quickly as possible, as his patience with the SGC had been on a short string since their decision to essentially capture Raelyn Lorne. "General, what's the status?" he snapped into his radio, wasting no time getting to business.

"Colonel Sheppard," Landry replied dully. "Yes. Um, back to our new addition. She's been thoroughly informed of the Stargate program, including Atlantis. She equipped and ready to come through at your signal."

"Good," John said, his tone a slight amount calmer. He looked pointedly at Mr. Woolsey.

"Alright, General," Mr. Woolsey said, nodding at John. "We're ready. Send her through."

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	4. Chapter 3: The Arrival

**Wow I just put the original version of this chapter out here and ten minutes later I already had to edit it. How sad it that. But read and review! It's been forever since I've put anything up here!**

**Disclaimer: my poor underpriveleged self does not own SGA or any of the characters :( boo hoo**

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ATLANTIS-GATE ROOM

It was all Aiden could do to keep his mouth from dropping open. He stood next to Torren; arms folded against his sweaty training clothes. A young girl, no more than fifteen or sixteen years old, stood gazing at them all from her position in front of the now dormant Stargate. Life on Atlantis had trained Aiden to always be prepared; always ready for a surprise. But he hadn't been expecting this. Not once in his life had another person his own age come through the Stargate from Earth, let alone a simple, confused girl such as this. His father grinned at him and winked.

Her strange simplistic style shocked him. She was wearing worn blue jeans, a plain white tee, and an oversized, navy blue windbreaker. She carried a single small backpack and her chocolate brown hair was pulled loosely back into a high, athletic ponytail. Sharp blue eyes regarded them all with a wary gaze, pausing on each of their faces for a brief moment; taking in the majestic surroundings of Atlantis. Her lips were pursed, but nervous energy pulsed lightly beneath her mask of confidence.

Her eyes met Aiden's and he saw, for only a moment, the discomfort she was feeling. A strange emotion swept through him, and he couldn't understand it. She turned away, and it was gone.

"Raelyn Lorne," Mr. Woolsey stepped forward slightly, smiling professionally. "Welcome to the Ancient city of Atlantis."

"Rae," she corrected immediately. "And, uh, thanks, I guess," her voice was slightly shaky. Mr. Woolsey forced smile and pudgy face humored her, and she relaxed a little.

There was an awkward silence as Raelyn's eyes traveled up and into the control room and then to the jumper bay doors. Afternoon sunlight streamed into gate room, casting its glow over the Atlantis staircase and turning the paned windows a rusted orange color. Rae forgot her situation for a moment and smiled in awe at the beauty of it all.

John broke the silence and stepped up next to Mr. Woolsey. "Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard," he said, smiling and shaking her hand lightly. "This is my wife, Teyla Emmagan, our son, Major Aiden Sheppard, our daughter, Kiahna, and my step-son, Torren Emmagan." He indicated each person as he spoke.

"Mr. Richard Woolsey," Mr. Woolsey said. "Commander of Atlantis."

"Ummm…" Rae searched for the right words, her gaze fluttering nervously. "It's a pleasure to meet all of you…"

Another silence followed this brief exchange. Aiden twiddled his thumbs quietly, casting his gaze downward. John looked from Teyla to Aiden, and then to Mr. Woolsey, who clapped his hands suddenly. "Well… Teyla, if you could show Miss Raelyn to her quarters?" His voice was brisk, and he didn't bother to cover up a slight tone of impatience.

Teyla smiled warmly at Rae. "Yes, of course."

"We'll brief Raelyn on the city in forty-five minutes," Mr. Woolsey said. "Colonel Sheppard, if you could tell Dr. McKay that I would like him to be present at the meeting as well?"

John nodded. "Yup."

"Hmm…" Mr. Woolsey paused, "And I suppose Dr. Keller should come too. Forty-five minutes, then." He spun on his heel and returned to the control room.

Raelyn stared after him, bewildered. Aiden transferred his weight awkwardly, wishing desperately to be excused. He felt incredibly foolish in his training clothes, and was in need of a warm shower. It was also the first time he'd ever been in the presence of a teenage girl he hadn't grown up with, and he was extremely uncomfortable. Rae moved her backpack to the other shoulder and turned to Teyla and John.

"It is a great pleasure to meet you, Raelyn Lorne," Teyla said, bowing her head briefly and smiling widely. "We have been anxiously awaiting your arrival," She looked pointedly at her children and raised her eyebrows.

Kiahna stepped forward a extended a hand, which Raelyn shook. "Kiahna," she said, introducing herself. "It's great to have another teenage girl on Atlantis." Raelyn smiled in reply; she finally felt like she might truly be welcome in the city.

Keeping his eyes averted, Aiden coughed lightly. "Uh, yes. It's a great pleasure." Teyla rolled her eyes and sighed, keeping a smile on her face all the while.

Torren bowed his head lightly, just as his mother had done, and looked gently into Rae's eyes. "Welcome to Atlantis," he said, smiling politely. His voice was comforting; light, yet strong.

She was caught off guard, his quiet welcome had entranced her, and she found herself struggling to pull her eyes away, back to Teyla. His hair was swept neatly back, and his dark eyes cautiously watched her. Rae jerked herself out of the momentary trance, barely managing to keep a blush of her cheeks.

"Thank you," she murmured, nodding to both Aiden and Torren, but keeping her eyes focused on the floor. A voice in the back of her head cursed her for being so shy and awkward.

"Shall we?" Teyla motioned to the doorway leading out of the gate room. "The personal quarters area is this way."

Raelyn nodded, glancing at John, Aiden and Torren. "I'll come, too." John said. Aiden exchanged a look with his step brother.

"Um, we're gonna go and shower up," he said. "We'll see you at the briefing," He turned and headed up into the control room, back to the transporter, sighing in relief as soon as he was out of earshot. Torren bowed his head again in dismissal and followed his brother up the stairs.

"Don't mind them," John said, rolling his eyes after his sons; hands on his hips. "Teenage boys, you must know what they're like."

Raelyn smiled and nodded, feeling a bit more comfortable now that the boys were out of the room. "Yeah, I do." She replied.

Kia stepped away. "I've got to get some work done," she said. "But I'll come see you after your briefing!" she smiled brightly at Rae and then turned and ran up into the control room's transporter.

"This way," John motioned towards the doorway leading out of the control room. Raelyn followed him and Teyla through it, towards her new living quarters. Her mind drifted as they walked; as she surveyed the highly advanced city with all of its technological wonders. They passed by what appeared to be a lab of some sort, with several computers and scenario stations set up. She smiled lightly, hoping that one of the labs might be hers. It had always been her dream to work as a scientist, a physicist. Perhaps living on Atlantis would be more of a blessing to her than she'd originally believed.

ATLANTIS-BRIEFING ROOM

"Dr. McKay, Dr. Rodney McKay. But I'm sure you already knew that."

Jennifer gave her husband a stern look as he introduced himself to Rae. The teenage girl giggled gently and smiled as politely as she could back at him.

"Yes," she said. "Colonel Carter told me all about you," Rodney's proud gaze faded as though somewhat had told him Christmas was canceled. He cleared his throat.

"Yes, well. That must have been interesting," he moved to sit down at the conference table, Jennifer behind him.

"You'll get used to it," John whispered in Raelyn's ear as she too turned to take her seat. Thankfully, it was almost exactly opposite Rodney's.

Rae looked around at the others sitting around the table. Aiden seemed to have chosen not to come, and she could not help but wonder why. Torren was there, however, he sat calmly three chairs away from her, his expression incredibly peaceful. She felt a blush heating her cheeks, and quickly pushed thoughts of him out of her head.

Teyla was directly to her right, and Dr. Keller, or Jenn, as she'd asked to be called, was on her left. John was next to Teyla, and Torren was on his right. Mr. Woolsey was next to Jenn, and a large, rather frightening looking man with a wild beard sat next to him. This man had his arm around a very pregnant woman. And next to her, of course, was Rodney.

"Raelyn, I'd like you to meet Dr. Rodney McKay and his wife, Dr. Jennifer Keller," Mr. Woolsey said, nodding at each person.

"We've met," Rodney said shortly. "Thanks, though."

"I can't wait to get to know you," Jenn countered. "We have a daughter of our own; she's only a few years younger than you. Her name is Kaylee."

Raelyn couldn't help but feel somewhat excited. She had believed that Aiden, Torren and Kia were the only other teens in the city. Now there was someone else, a girl, who she could become friends with. Someone who would be easier to talk to than the two boys.

"And this is Ronon Dex," Mr. Woolsey indicated the large, wild man next to him, "And his wife, Amelia. They're expecting their second child in two months." Rae nodded lightly at each of them

"Hey," Ronon said, his voice rough and deep.

Amelia smiled pleasantly at her and said, "You can call me Mia."

"And of course, you've already met Col. Sheppard, Teyla, and Torren." Mr. Woolsey added. "Shall we being?"

The next few hours Raelyn sat patiently as various members of the group explained to her their situation on Atlantis. She was informed of the wraith in detail, and several of their previous missions were described to her. In a few years, he told her, she would be ready to officially join her own gate team. This thought scared her somewhat, but she didn't let it show. Rae also learned that she would study with a tutor Monday through Friday to compensate for a lack of schooling on Atlantis. She would also participate in a specially designed sparring program with Teyla and Ronon, as well as the GTTP, or Gate Team Training Program, to prepare for her future gate team. But the most interesting part of the meeting was the end, when Torren finally spoke up.

"And you'll take part in GTTP, or the Gate Team Training Program," Mr. Woolsey was saying. "It's a rigorous course that emphasizes military tactics. You'll go off world for five hours every Wednesday to train as part of this program."

Raelyn nodded, wondering exactly what it was they did off world and who she would be going with. Torren seemed to read her mind.

"Both me and Aiden go off world on Wednesdays as well," he said. A wave a shock hit her as his beautiful singing voice filled her ears. She barely managed to gain her focus in time to hear his next words. "As well as the other kids in the city."

"Other kids?" Raelyn asked. She couldn't believe it. When Sam and General Landry had briefed her about coming to Atlantis, she had never dreamed that she would be working and going to school alongside others her own age.

"Yes," Torren smiled. "I could introduce you to everyone, if you want. We could go when we're done here."

Rae angrily shoved back a blush creeping onto her cheeks. She shuddered slightly at the thought of being alone with Torren, but pushed it away and instead focused on being happy about other kids in the city. "Alright, sure." She said, as calmly as she could.

"Well, we're done here." Mr. Woolsey said. "You're free to go." Everyone began to stand and stretch, shuffling their papers into stacks and starting casual conversations with one another. Rae sighed and turned to Torren, who was watching her, his expression still peaceful.

"Shall we?" he said, and they made to leave the room. Raelyn suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder, and spun around to find herself face to face with John.

"Raelyn," he said, his tone serious and his eyes sharp. "Rae, sorry. There's something very important that Teyla, Mr. Woolsey and I need to discuss with you, sooner rather than later."

"Uh, okay," she replied as a strange nervous wave swept through her body. A lump rose uncomfortably in her throat.

"How about tonight, after dinner?" he asked. "We'll meet in Mr. Woolsey's office."

Raelyn nodded, wondering what to say.

"Good," John's face relaxed again, and he smiled, and then turned to Teyla.

Rae followed Torren out of the conference room, once again bewildered by John's words. She suddenly felt very lost in the ancient city.


End file.
